The Pacific Link!

I thought it would be good to give a clear overview of what the ship is doing and some of its history!

The ship was built in 1979 as a Japanese fishing training vessel, shortly after that a man in New Zealand bought the ship off of the Japanese and had a dream to make the ship into a training vessel but for scuba diving. He made lots of renovations on the boat, since it was built with a very basic fishing design, this included making a lounge, a dinning area, and simply making it more homey. A key point to all of this is that the ship its self is only 37 miters long and 7.3 miters wide (not that big) and we are able to have a maximum of 50 people on board, which is very rare considering how small the ship is, but because it was built as a training vessel since day one it was created with heaps more accommodation then regular ships! We are not sure of all the details but in the end the bank had to take the ship off of the kiwi man, wether it was more then he thought it was going to be or him ran out of money we aren't sure. This gave YWAM New Zealand a opportunity to buy the ship off of the bank in 2001 and from there they made the changes that need to be done to make it into the medical ship that it is today!

Since New Zealand has had the ship they have been doing medical outreaches to Fiji, Sonoma Island, and the Philippines offering free medical care. Just this year January 2010 YWAM New Zealand gave the ship to YWAM Australia ~ a pretty big deal.

Since January we have been doing a 16 port tour around Australia bringing awareness to people about the need in Papua New Guinea. Also the depression and suicide numbers with Aussie youth has continued to rise over the last 10 years, so we are also focused on calling the Aussie youth to be apart of something that is way bigger then themselves, helping them gain a sense of purpose through helping others. With the tour around Australia we have been open to the public for them to come aboard take a look at the clinic and some other places around the ship, and at the end we give them a chance to be apart of it with Tell Give Go. Tell 3 people you know, tell your doctor or dentist the next time you go, simply help us get the word out about the need in PNG. Give, we have been collecting old glasses and sunglasses, and new tooth brushes and tooth paste, also any financial support and since ever single person living onboard is a volunteer (actually pays to be onboard) ever cent donated goes straight into the running of this ship and medical supplies. And Go, anyone who is medical trained there are heaps of opportunities for you to be involved, but also we are looking for anyone with a heart to serve!

The heart of this ship is to bring life, our theme saying is I Want To Live. The reality that Papua New Guineans are living is horrendous, I mean on fact is that there is 30 dentists for the whole nations. If someone needs a pair of glasses it could easily mean catching a ferry to a many city (ferries only come every 3 months) so something as easy as going to the store for us could be a 6 month journey to get a pair of glasses, not to mention the cost of the traveling. so we are bring everything we can to them! Dentistry, ophthalmology, primary health care, and optometry will be the four areas that we are focusing on to begin with.

We have the Ship for the next 8 - 10 years and starting next year we are hoping to be in PNG for 6 months at a time, and the rest of the time it will be resting in Townsville. I think it is needless to say that this is a huge deal and I honestly cant even imagine what God is going to do with this, He has provided us with everything we have needed every step of the way!!

I am so excited, Here are some pictures on the ship and a video around the ship and also the video that thousands of people all around Australia and world wide have seen (our promo video!).

Enjoy!

not to worry

I would just like to point out how crazy it is that the first time (ever) moving out of home I move ACROSS the world – who does that? Anyway life down here is actually going really good, God is showing up in ways and opening doors for me that I could have never imagined!

Even though God is so good and so much is going on I was having a really hard time trusting him with my well... life! It was (still is) a really big deal, I mean come on my life is mine not someone else's, and it didn't really help that I had no idea what I was actually getting myself into. So without even trying I quickly became very overwhelmed, freaked out, stressed, and worried that nothing would ever work out! The stress of having to work everything out when I had no idea what I was doing (this is when being the baby doesn't help out!) I started trying to do everything on my own and figure everything out, while trying to plan out the rest of my life and thinking about what the point to all of this was! Not extreme at all :) But it just felt like everything was piling up all at once and I wasn't even able to breath, I didn't want to move because I thought it would fall apart. I didn't even realize until reading this amazing devotional but I full wasn't even allowing God into my stress and worry, not that I did that on purpose I just thought I was the one who had to do ~ why would I bother him. But then I read this;

"Do not fret - it only cause harm" Psalm 37:8

It is easy to say, "rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him" (37:3) until our little world is turned upside down and we are forced to live in confusion and agony like so many other people.

Resting in the Lord is not dependent on your external circumstance at all, but on your relationship with God himself.

Fretting rises from our determination to have our own way. Our Lord never worried and was never anxious, because His purpose was never to accomplish His own plans but to fulfill God's plans. Fretting is wickedness for a child of God

Set all your opinions and speculations aside and "abide under the shadow of the Almighty" (91:1). Deliberately tell God that you will not fret about whatever concerns you. All our fretting and worrying is caused by planning without God

My Utmost For His Highest

Oswald Chambers

This hit me SO hard but yet made perfect, beautiful sense. Of course God knows what he is doing, I forget so often how big he is and how much he loves me - He is IN LOVE with me! ME a 20 year old girl having nothing to offer but a willingness to do anything for his glorious Kingdom, I am so unworthy of even his attention... but then I read this;

"Because he loves me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble I will deliver him and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."

Psalm 91:14-16

I love it! So powerful and such a beautiful way to show us how much he wants to be with us, and how he will truly do anything for us ~ for he acknowledges my name, says the Lord. When I was reading all this and realizing how much God loves me I had this huge reality check - Why would I be worrying about all the small details for the plan that God had spoken! It almost seemed crazy to think about worrying, but instead of feeling bad/ashamed of not trusting God and practically belittling him, God gave me this beautiful child like trust. I have this attitude now, where even with everything going on, it is simpy of course it will be okay my dad will take care of it and I am in love with that peace.

God is so good and he wants to take care of us - his children.

Life After...

Since being done the school (graduating at the top of the class!) I was able to go back on board a beautiful medical ship called the Pacific Link. Being apart of this ship has given me such refreshing outlook on life, I don't even know what it is about it but being in that kind of family and powerful situation does something to you.

Leaving the school I felt almost to overwhelmed to move at times. I had just been giving heaps of information over the last 5 and a half months and the reality of "what am I going to do with it" was standing right in font of me. I have changed so much during this school, in ways I don't fully understand but one of the biggest ways (I think) is God has changed how he wants me to look at life - my perspective. I was one who based a lot of what I did off of feelings and emotions, not a lot of solid foundation. Don't get me wrong emotion is a huge part to a relationship with God but people don't want to hear about what you feel about God, if we are going to fight this battle for the Kingdom of God what are we basing it on: a feeling or the truth of his word. So I guess graduating from the school I was left with a responsibility but I almost felt disconnected from my head to my heart - which is so hard. But God knew how much I was struggling and he put me back on the ship where it gave me so much for what I needed! Truly... friends, good God time, sharing about his word, serving, and simply relaxing - so good :)

So I guess needless to say I am in love with ship! I have actually been given a chance to go up to Papua New Guinea with the Medical Ship for about a month in August, helping out around the ship and then also doing different things on land - SO excited about this amazing opportunity.

For right now I am just trying to find supports and just get settled here in Australia, plant my roots and set up camp because this is my life.

He will cover you with his feathers

and under his wing you find refuge;

His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

Psalm 91:4